Google Inc. has made it easier for developers to build applications that can be embedded in the personal homepage that the search engine offers subscribers.
The Google Homepage API Application Programming Interface page has information and software that developers can use to create modules, or "widgets," that people can then use to spice up their personalized home pages on Google.
A developer guide walks developers through the process of using the API to build modules for the personal homepage. A module, at its basic level, is an XML file that wraps Web content or applications, Google said.
It is designed to be flexible and easy to use, and you do not need to download anything to create a module, the official Google Blog said.
Currently, it is possible to add to Google home page content such as news, Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds, recipes, stock quotes, movie times and quotes of the day. The Google Homepage Content Directory shows staff picks of new modules, including a weather map, date and time, and customized Google logo.
Once a module is finished, the developer can submit it to Google for inclusion in the directory containing other modules for use by homepage subscribers.
Gary Price of Search Engine Watch.com wrote in his blog that the service seems to run counter to Google’s trademark clean and uncluttered interfaces.
Earlier this week, Yahoo renamed its rival Konfabulator service Yahoo Widget Engine 3.0.